Soil

Soils ain’t soils – carbon farming offers fertile future

Increasing the amount of carbon stored in agricultural soils can help mitigate rising greenhouse gas emissions and sustain agricultural productivity. Carbon farming is a key plank of Australia’s climate mitigation efforts, and CSIRO scientists are looking for new and innovative approaches to help realise the benefits for all.

Recovery of Australia’s soils following bushfires

While attention to bushfire recovery often centres on above ground developments – rebuilt buildings and a return of green tree canopies – it's what happens below the surface that often determines how successful recovery actually is.

Soils study key to tracing PFAS leaching

They’re one of the strongest bonds in chemistry and are not only unique in the way they can be used to fight fire, but unique in the way they leach through soils into the environment. A new paper suggests understanding first how PFAS chemicals behave in soils requires a large-scale soils study and, perhaps, a global research effort if we’re to work towards a solution.

Hard yakka field work underpins decisions for Northern Australia

Much of the hard work behind future decisions on development in Northern Australia has been done over the winter – getting hot and dirty in the field collecting the data and the detail that describe the country.

Living on air: uncovering bacterial mysteries for agriculture and climate

Scientists have solved one of the mysteries of certain soil bacteria that allows them to persist without an apparent source of sustenance. It might lead to solutions for improving agricultural production while reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Science can drive the sustainability of our precious soils, water and oceans

Australia’s soil, water, vegetation and biodiversity, and our vast marine estate, are incredibly valuable national assets, which need to be managed effectively. There are still significant gaps in our understanding of these components, and the ways in which they interact. We need to understand them so we can manage them sustainably.